Gucci has been criticized for its advertising campaign featuring Harry Styles posing with a toddler’s mattress. The campaign is for Gucci’s ‘HA HA HA’ collection which has been described as inappropriate.
This is especially following the huge backlash faced by Balenciaga after its recent controversial Christmas campaign. The French luxury fashion house was widely condemned for sexualized images of children and allegedly containing documents connected to child pornography.
Gucci Ha Ha Ha
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Balenciaga took to Instagram on November 28 to explain its mistake. “The two separate ad campaigns in question reflect a series of grievous errors for which Balenciaga takes responsibility,” they said.
Gucci’s HA HA HA collection was born out of a friendship between Styles and Gucci’s late creative director Alessandro Michele.
The brand justified the campaign saying it was meant to be playful and creative. “Play is at the very heart of the collection, which uses menswear as a tool of the avant-grade. Harry Styles showcases the dream wardrobe defined by eccentric use of romantic accents, whimsical prints, vintage details and the expressive emotionality of the individual.”
“Harry Styles enacts a theatrical piece where classicism meets play, transforming the wardrobe into a liberated platform where the masculine can embrace vanity.”
Critics of the campaign include Alexandra Gucci Zarini, the great-granddaughter of the fashion house’s founder, Guccio Gucci.
“Why would you create a ‘performance piece’ with a toddler’s mattress and an adult man? My concerns are that there seems to be a common ideology across Kering’s fashion houses.
Gucci and Harry Styles
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“Gucci was created to be the most elegant brand with the highest quality product. The direction it seems to be taking now is concerning. The protection of children should always come first and not be laughed at.”
Other comments by consumers include the following, “Why does #gucci have Harry Styles, a grown man posing with a child’s mattress and a pink teddy bear t shirt? Im not loving this,” said Gillian McKeith.
Does #Gucci and #Balenciaga share the same parent company? Not sure why a child’s mattress or a teddy bear even need to make an appearance. Why can’t these campaigns just stay away from associating with kids?